


You Don't Know What You've Got 'Til It's Gone

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-24
Updated: 2015-06-24
Packaged: 2018-04-05 22:12:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4196898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hal and Shaq are pinned down and there's only one way for things to end.  It's not the way Hal expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Don't Know What You've Got 'Til It's Gone

            “You must retreat, Hal,” Shaq’s voice is eerily calm over the gunfire and dying screams surrounding them.  “Return to the shelter.  There is transport waiting for you and your comrades there.”

            “I’m not leaving you,” Hal’s voice isn’t nearly as calm or as steady.  “You’ll get overwhelmed.”

            “This position will be overwhelmed shortly whether or not we both remain.  It only takes one fighter to set off the charges.  As the superior fighter, I should remain to increase your chances of survival,” Shaq says.

            “You’ll die,” Hal says, shaking his head.  “That’s not acceptable.”

            “I have been prepared to die for a long time, Hal,” Shaq says.  “I was always going to die fighting the Espheni.  Now is an acceptable time.”

            Hal empties a frustrated bullet into an approaching skitter.  “Well, I’m not ready for you to die!  I know you don’t care, but I love you, okay?  It’s stupid and human, but I do, so we’re both going to live so you can make fun of me for loving you.”

            “It is stupid and human, but it would be incorrect to say I do not care,” Shaq says, looking at him briefly.  “You also love your family, and they require your presence.  Preserve your life, Hal.  It should not be wasted here.”

            Hal gapes at Shaq, pretty sure that that’s Shaq’s version of “I love you.”

            While he’s staring at him, Shaq grabs his gun and tosses it at the enemy.  “You are now completely useless.  Leave.”

            “What if I run into trouble while going back to the shelter?” Hal asks. 

            “We have eliminated all the enemies between there and here.  If they have breached our perimeter, this battle has already been lost and we will all die, your family included,” Shaq says.

            He’s right, unfortunately. 

            “Go,” Shaq says firmly.  “For us both to die would be senseless.”

            “I love you,” Hal repeats, ear ringing as he leans over and presses his lips to Shaq’s cheek.

            Shaq turns and stares at him, and Hal shivers.  “You are not as dense and irritating as I initially thought.  I have not found our time together unpleasant.  Now go.  They are approaching.  Do not wait for me.”

            Hal stumbles back to the shelter, disbelieving.  He finds his family in the confused mass.

            “Where is Shak-Chic?” Cochise asks.

            “He’s not coming,” Hal manages to say.  The explosion rips behind him.  “He’s gone.”

            Matt immediately attaches himself to his leg. 

            “I’m sorry,” Dad says.

            “He died to save me,” Hal says, frustration seeping through.  “He’d be alive without me.  If I had just left him alone.”

            He had basically bothered Shaq into a relationship with him.  Shaq never would have done him if Hal hadn’t asked.

            “It’s not your fault,” Ben says, touching his arm.

            Cochise looks at him caringly.  “I do not wish to diminish your bond with Shak-Chic, but it is most unlikely he would sacrifice his life for you unless it was a tactical necessity.  It is not in Volm character.”

            “He said so,” Hal says, swallowing hard as he’s shepherded onto the transport by Dad and Ben.  “I could have stayed.  He could have left me.  He refused to let me.”

            Dad presses him gently into a seat and Matt climbs into his lap.  Hal’s arms wrap around Matt automatically.

            Everyone murmurs words of apology as Hal stares out the window.  It doesn’t make any sense.  None of this makes any sense.

            Being with Shaq wasn’t supposed to hurt.  It was supposed to be fun sex.  That’s all.  Volm are supposed to be almost indestructible.  Shaq ~~is~~ was an asshole.  All of this should have prevented the big, gaping hole that’s torn its way through his chest. 

            He rests his head on the window, closing his eyes and hoping to wake up.  To wake up next to Shaq and irritate him with his human emotions. 

Hal snorts imagining how Shaq would react if he had woken up one morning and told him that he had dreamed what just happened.  He can just imagine the way Shaq would glare and huff and roll his eyes as Hal kisses him anyway.  Maybe Hal would even slip in that he loves him, just because.  It would make him huff even more.

            But it’s all gone.  Everything he had with Shaq is incinerated behind him.


End file.
